Black folks, especially black women, may be flocking to theaters to see The Butler, but the movie’s director, Lee Daniels has yet to respond to some unflattering and rather stereotypical remarks about them.

In an interview with Larry King, Daniels, who is gay, was discussing homophobia and sexually transmitted infections in the black community.

He relayed a story in which he walked into a gay men’s health clinic in New York, and thought he’d entered a “welfare clinic.”

According to a recent report, the rate of HIV infections among Black women is five times higher than originally thought.

The CDC estimates that 1 in 32 Black women are HIV positive.

However, a recent study conducted by the HIV Prevention Trials Network reveals that the situation is much worse. Women constitute one quarter of new HIV infections in the US; 66 percent of these women are Black women, even though they only represent 14 percent of the US female population.

The rate of HIV infection among Black women is comparable to those in sub-Saharan Africa.

Today is National Coming Out Day; a celebration of the bravery it takes to come out, and the positive impact it can have on the LGBT community at large.

The Black Youth Project wishes our readers a wonderful and liberating Coming Out Day. If you do choose this is to be the day that you reveal your sexuality to family or friends, we want you to know that you have our love and support.

And feel free to send us your “Coming Out” stories. Hearing about your personal journey can make a world of difference to a young, struggling LBGT youth looking for some type of affirmation or hope.

However, we also want to make it very clear that all of us – regardless of age, gender, race or socioeconomic status – are on our own journeys.

For many, it is hard to have open conversations about vaginas, penises, and anuses, especially when ‘beavers,’ ‘one-eyed snakes’ and ‘poop-chutes’ play bump in the [supposed] night. Even when we talk about “them” bumping in the night, many of us create euphemisms to get around the discomfort of talking about sex. So you can imagine when vaginas, penises, and anuses are filmed and paid to go “bump in that [supposed] night,” what kind of uproar is made against the porn industry.

This year has seen major advances in the battle against AIDS. Prevention efforts have been somewhat effective in stablizing the pandemic. This news comes on the heels of a controversial announcement from the Pope and good news about a groundbreaking new pill. Small victories in a battle that will continue but victories nonetheless.

They said it would make my life better. They said I would find my “purpose.” It was my 8th grade school year. My pastor said I should read this book that would change my life. The name of the book was A Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. It’s always interesting to reflect back to my pre-teen life and think about the different things I was involved in. Some of my childhood experiences were amazing and shaped who I am today, other experiences—like buying Rick Warren’s book—are just embarrassing. I was reading a book by one of the most divisive and homophobic/anti-gaymen in America, at 13.

The author of the very same book, seven years later is now in the limelight being accused of supporting the Uganda Anti-Homosexual Legislation Bill. Proposed on the 13th of October 2009 by Member of ParliamentDavid Bahati, the Bill would criminalize key aspects of comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention education and imprison health-care workers who refuse to report sexually active gay patients to the police. If enacted, it would also broaden the criminalization of homosexuality in Uganda, including introducing the death penalty for HIV positive people who have previous convictions, instituting extradition for those engaging in same-sex sexual relations outside Uganda, and penalizing individuals, companies, or media organizations who support LGBT rights.

In honor of World AIDS Day 2009, I want to open up a conversation/discussion about sex.

Sex makes me nervous! I get nervous both before and after sex. I am nervous because in my head I picture this spinning chart of numbers and statistics that makes me realize that sex is the ultimate Russian roulette. You pull the trigger you get a risk-free nut; you pull the trigger again and you get a parting gift.

After having sex, I hate the immediate realization that I am at risk for a slew of different diseases: Herpes, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, HPV and HIV are just a few of the “gifts that keep on giving,” especially for us black folk. After that thought come the charts and statistics:

About The Black Youth Project

The Black Youth Project examines the attitudes, resources and culture of the young black millennials.

We have three core areas of focus: knowledge, voice, and action. Knowledge is the research we perform on Black millennials ages 18-35. Voice is the high-quality news and opinions written by Black millennials on this platform. Action is the work done through our sister organization BYP100.